The Saudi National Center for Meteorology and Environment Protection is currently implementing an ambitious project to induce artificial rains in the southern Asir province. Saleh Al-Shahri, Director General of the center, said the successful experiment was launched early last month in the western and southern parts of the Kingdom. The need for other water sources has assumed prime importance in the Kingdom since domestic, agricultural and industrial needs of water have risen from 220 million cubic meters in 1970 to approximately 2,130 million cubic meters now. Consumption of water for irrigation purposes has also risen from 6,120 cubic meters to 19,074 cubic meters, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported. Saudi Arabia, which receives nearly 100 mm of rainfall annually, relies mainly on desalinated water and is the largest producer of desalinated water in the world. The most common chemicals used for cloud seeding include silver iodide and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). The expansion of liquid propane into a gas has also been used and can produce ice crystals at warmer temperatures than silver iodide. The use of hygroscopic materials, such as salt, is increasing in popularity because of some promising research results. The cost of seawater conversion in the Kingdom is estimated at a billion Saudi riyals annually as SR4 are required for a cubic meter of potable water. This would result in additional burden on the exchequer which is already providing subsidy on several essential commodities. Although studies during the past two decades have proved the effectiveness of the program, cloud seeding methods need more scientific research and development before the technology is put to use. Saudi Arabia entered into an agreement with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1986 to launch the Saudi Experiment in the Field of Cloud Physics schemes. Wyoming University in the United States was chosen to carry out the project, and experiments and studies were conducted in Abha and its surrounding regions, Al-Shahri said. He said Shariah (Islamic law) viewpoint was also sought on the artificial rain methods and senior scholars saw no harm in the procedure. The cost depends on many factors like climate, logistics, cloud type, seeding method, targeted area, and the duration of the project. Studies have established that sea clouding has no effect on environment and health, as a very small quantity of chemicals is used over a large geographical area. “Therefore, their concentration in rain is very low, he said. __
